RIP Plaxton?

[GusB]

In an article in Bus & Coach Buyer (March '24) it was suggested that Plaxton was "not dead but resting" and that coach building had been merely suspended.

Not dead but resting - Bus & Coach Buyer

When will Plaxton build another coach after announcing that it will reconsider shutting down production at Scarborough for almost two years?

www.busandcoachbuyer.com

Plaxton, as a coach brand, possibly faces a long road back to production should it decide, in 2026, that it wants to build coaches again.

Alexander Dennis has already announced the news that, as from this year, coach production in Scarborough has been suspended for two years, for the perfectly sound reason that it has a burgeoning order book for its new and impressive ‘NextGen’ electric buses. With both Falkirk and Scarborough buzzing with buses, to devote a line to Leopard in a depressed and competitive coach market would not make sense.

I happened to have a quick look at the Alexander-Dennis website earlier today and noted that the Plaxton coaches section has been removed completely, and a site search of said website merely brings up a link to the news archive:

Plaxton coaches Archives | Alexander Dennis

www.alexander-dennis.com

Of the two models that remained in production, the last Panther seems to have been sold in August 2024 and the last Leopard in March 2025 (source - buslistsontheweb.co.uk). Is it reasonable to assume that Plaxton is now well and truly dead?

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Of the two models that remained in production, the last Panther seems to have been sold in August 2024 and the last Leopard in March 2025 (source - buslistsontheweb.co.uk). Is it reasonable to assume that Plaxton is now well and truly dead?

What about the Norwegian Blue?

 

[Harpo]

What about the Norwegian Blue?

Beautiful plumage.

 

[Dwarfer1979]

In an article in Bus & Coach Buyer (March '24) it was suggested that Plaxton was "not dead but resting" and that coach building had been merely suspended.

I think even at the time most industry watchers suspected that Plaxton coaches weren't going to be returning and little that has happened since has made that initial impression look wrong.

Given the struggles that Volvo have had over the last 18-months over securing body building partners (the closure of their own body plant & subsequent collapse of Sunsundegui leave them currently only able to deliver the MCV option) if ADL were interested in getting back in that would have been a perfect opportunity and since they have spoken of struggling to fill two plants it also would have eased that issue - instead they proposed closing plants.

 

[Wallsendmag]

Beautiful plumage.

Pining for the Fjords

 

[DunsBus]

Pining for the Fjords

Pining for the Fjords???

 

[Mark L]

Beautiful plumage.

The plumage don't enter into it. It's stone dead.

 

[izvor]

This Plaxton wouldn't voom if you put 4 million volts through it.

 

[GusB]

I think even at the time most industry watchers suspected that Plaxton coaches weren't going to be returning and little that has happened since has made that initial impression look wrong.

Well, yes - it was more or less an open secret.

Given the struggles that Volvo have had over the last 18-months over securing body building partners (the closure of their own body plant & subsequent collapse of Sunsundegui leave them currently only able to deliver the MCV option) if ADL were interested in getting back in that would have been a perfect opportunity and since they have spoken of struggling to fill two plants it also would have eased that issue - instead they proposed closing plants.

I'm still not sure what to make of the situation with Volvo. While nowadays most manufacturers are heading for a more vertically-integrated model, when ADL and Plaxton (re)combined it was still possible to build on alternative platforms from the likes of Scania and DAF/VDL. There was even an in-house solution with the R-series, but that didn't really take off. It seems to me that it was rather foolhardy to place all the eggs in the Volvo basket, though.

Clearly the company has to make a decision as to how it moves forward and imports from the likes of Yutong will be on the minds of AD's management but I think they're missing a trick.